Why is it Getting so Hard to Give a Rescue Dog a Forever Home?

 I fully support Rescue Charities and wrote a post called "Throw Away Dogs in a Throw Away Society" some time ago about the benefits of giving an OAP dog a Forever Home.

I have just read a post that has me exploding with anger and disappointment this morning. Not at the person who wrote it I hasten to add, but at the experiences they have had with doing the right thing and trying to rehome a dog. I have been following this story for some time and was really looking forward to reading all about their new dog this week. Sadly it was not to be...  

Understandably when you approach a charity to rehome a dog, you are expected to jump through several hoops to ensure that you are a suitable candidate, you have adequate facilities for the dog and are fully aware of any problems the dog may have. They want the dogs to go to the right homes as it is very frustrating if it doesn't work out and the dog has to be returned to Rescue, and very confusing and stressful for the dog.

This process can involve several trips to the said Rescue Center at your own time, expense and emotion, which you are happy to do because you want the best for the dog you ultimately take into your home for the rest of its life. 

So why is it that Rehoming Centers are making it harder and harder for good people to rehome dogs? 

I myself was turned down by the RSPCA approximately 12 years ago because I worked part time, even though I had adequate arrangements in place. The dogs stayed at my parents house when I was at work, a bit like Doggy Daycare, plus my parents had been approved as a suitable home by the RSPCA when they were looking to rehome a dog the year before. 

I was angry, I had worked in Rescue myself, and had even been to court as a witness for the RSPCA about a Rottweiler that had been sent to me for rehoming. To be honest I felt very humiliated that I should be turned down by such a huge organisation that I had always supported, but I accepted their decision and walked away.

Over the last couple of years I have been hearing more and more times of people who are wonderful dog owners, being turned down when they try to offer a dog a Forever Home from a variety of rehoming organisations, they then give up, as they are so upset that they are considered not suitable.

I understand the need for caution, especially with certain breeds of dog falling into the wrong hands.

Sometimes people don't always have a high enough fence for that escape artist, or maybe the dog they really want needs a lot more training than they can offer, not all dogs are suitable for all people, but if so many loving dog owners are not deemed suitable, then who is?

Whilst all this indecision is going on dogs are missing out on fantastic Forever Homes and doomed to life in kennels, or worst case scenario being put to sleep.

As Christmas approaches, sadly yet again I see so many puppies are for sale  as Christmas Presents! With a lot of them the novelty will have worn off by January and they will be dumped into an already overflowing Rescue system.

We can't stop these people churning out puppies, but if nobody buys them and rehomes Rescue dogs there will be no market for them.

So why is it getting so hard to give a Rescue dog a Forever Home?

Authors Note:- These are my own views and experiences. Any offence to caused to anyone working in Rescue is unintentional. If it wasn't for the work you do more dogs would be suffering long term in bad situations.

News at Last (sort of)

As many of you know the the last nine months have been pure torture for me, because my employer decided that I wasn't fit enough to do my job anymore. 

Yes I have severe Arthritis and yes it was a struggle to do my job, but I'm still able to do my job as a result of some reasonable adjustments that were put into place approx two years ago.

In those two years I have been happy in my work, and had very few sick days. In fact in nearly 13 years of working there, I have never hit the trigger point for disciplinary with my sick days.

I registered my Disabled status with my employer approx five years ago, as with all things computerised, systems get updated and Disability details needed to be re-entered, which I duly did as it's a legal requirement.

As a result of updating my details, I received a letter saying I needed to attend a medical, I have since attended several, all with the same result. 

I'm not fit to work!

I disagreed with these findings, due to the fact I was still at work and doing my job. So a meeting was called and I was interviewed by several people from various departments.

In June I completed all the paperwork for my Medical Retirement/Dismissal very reluctantly, and started my IT course to help me find another job.

As the months dragged on there was no news on the retirement/dismissal/job front and I'm still attending work full time. I would rather stay at work in a job I love, but I have come to accept it's for my own welfare these decisions have been made.

On the 30th October I received a letter stating I was being Medically Retired not Medically Dismissed, which is a massive relief, as I will be getting a small pension. If the findings had been for Medical Dismissal I would in a world of financial hardship, as you can imagine it was a huge relief!

I don't know when I will be actually retiring, there has been no mention. 

I'm still attending work!

It's got to the point that I've had enough! 

They got what they wanted, so just give me a leaving date and let me go! 

Stop the Ride, I Want to Get Off!

"Stop the Ride, I Want to Get Off!"

Have you ever heard those words as a roller-coaster sets off when someone changes their mind? 

That's exactly how my life has been feeling for the past few weeks, the pain in my back is becoming unbearable! I can barely do anything at the moment. I can feel the big black cloud of Depression pushing it's way back into my brain. 

 The house is a mess as I struggle to keep on top of things. We've been eating processed food **muck** as I can't stand long enough to cook, just walking around the in house is absolute agony. How I wish we had a downstairs toilet, I stand at the bottom of the stairs and they look like an impossible challenge, it can take me several minutes to climb them, so I'm now spending a lot of time upstairs to avoid the climb. 

All this extra back pain is on top of the Arthritis pain in my knees, hands and joints. My

Prince Harry and Those Crown Jewels

Photo Credit

I'm sick to death of hearing about naked photo's of Prince Harry!

 Lets face it we are all naked under our clothes, it's not like the poor bloke is abnormal in any way.

Although granted none of us loyal subjects have the Queen as our Granny.

He was doing nothing illegal. He was in a private suite of hotel

Tardy Blogger

Seems like an age since I last updated my Blog, but in fact it has only been a week, but the longest week of my life!

Finally got the result of those Medicals, a report that doesn't make pleasant reading I can tell you.

Got told by my Boss "If any more reasonable adjustments were required, then I would be getting my P45 so I can sit on the sofa all the time.

Which was well out of order, and resulted in several nasty Panic Attacks this week, due I think, to the fact I've been mega stressed

about this whole process.

I won't bore you to death with the whole story, but as a result I've now received a massive pile of paperwork to wade through, as they

Grumpy Bear

After the good mood of last week and everybodies lovely support from going out, I'm sad to say things aren't going so well this week!

I'm back to being exhausted, withdrawn, paranoid, craving the solitude and letting my O.C.D.  take over as it makes me feel so safe.

I wish I knew why these feelings happen, although I suspect it has
something to do with the fact I have to have a medical at the end of this month, to see if I'm fit enough to go back to work. It also mentioned about what would happen if I couldn't go back to work.

Go back to work, bloody cheek of it!!!!

I've only had 9 days sick in the last 12 months, and I suspect it is an excuse to get rid of me to save money!

Consequently I have been spending a fair amount of time worrying about whether I will have a job for much longer, and if not how will I support myself?

It's really hard to explain the totally feeling of dread that has blanketed me at the moment, but it is like all emotion has been sucked out of me and I'm just an empty shell.

The feeling of dread as I drive to work, gets stronger and stronger as I draw nearer, and doesn't start to lift until I am back at home.

Although each time it lifts, it lifts a little less, and that wall I built around myself is getting higher and higher!

Only time will tell how long this latest episode will last, but I hope for my family's sake it doesn't last too long!

Far to Tired to Care

Today is one of those days where I've had just about enough!!!

I'm sick of being in pain!!!


Sick of people around me thinking they know what is best for me!!!

Unless you have been here, you have no idea how relentless and debilitating pain can be!!!

Yes I'm grumpy today!!!

I'm grumpy because certain people are voicing their opinions!!!


Insinuating I sit around doing nothing all day!!!!

It is very, very hard to keep going when every movement causes excruciating pain!!!


But I do keep going, because if I stop, I'd stop forever!!!


Don't judge me, when all you know is what you think you know!!!

Believe me, you don't know even half of it!!!

If you are reading this, you know who you are!!!


I suggest you keep your stinking nose, out of my business!!!


At least get your facts right before dictating to me!!!

Rant over